6 Best Minnesota Flat Fee MLS Listing Services

Trevor Wallis

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Trevor Wallis

January 4th, 2023
Updated January 4th, 2023

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The best MLS services | FAQs about flat fee MLS companies | Other ways to save on your sale

Whether you're selling a cabin in the Superior National Forest or a condo in downtown Minneapolis, paying 6% in realtor fees is a lot.

That’s why some sellers use a flat fee MLS company to list their home on the MLS — the main place where realtors find homes to show their clients — in exchange for a small one-time fee.

What’s the catch?

  • Less support: You manage your own sale — without a full-service agent to handle pricing, photography, paperwork, and negotiations.
  • Lower sales price: For sale by owner (FSBO) homes usually sell for significantly less than homes sold by agents — 6% less on average compared to agent-represented properties.
  • You still pay a buyer agent commission fees: 88% of home buyers work with an agent — who still needs to get paid. In Minnesota, you’re on the hook for 2.09% to 3.27% of the final sale price.

If you want to save on fees but aren’t ready for a do-it-yourself experience, Clever can match you with full-service realtors who work for a low flat fee of 1.5%.

Clever is the best alternative to the full DIY approach if you're in Minnesota! You'll save thousands on listing fees, while still getting the support you need to sell your home fast AND for top dollar.

» SAVE: Find top local agents and get a 1.5% listing fee!

If you’re still interested in finding Minnesota flat fee MLS listing options, read on! We’ve reviewed the best (and worst!) services in The North Star State.

The 6 best Minnesota flat fee MLS companies*


123 Flat Fee Minnesota
Minnesota Flat Fee MLS
Real Estate Corners, Inc
Savvy Avenue, LLC
Congress Realty
beycome

Price range

$299–599

$99–149

$299

$295–495

$299

$99–299

Money-back guarantee

Unlimited listing updates

Downloadable forms

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For sale sign

💰

💰

💰

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Lockbox

💰

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* 💰 indicates extra fee or premium purchase required

123 Flat Fee Minnesota

123 Flat Fee Minnesota

123 Flat Fee Minnesota

Best For

Sellers who expect a lot of in-person showings

Price Range

$299-599

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • You'll have access to ShowingTime, an app that agents use to coordinate showings.
  • The Premium package comes with a lot of materials to help you with open houses and showings like yard signs, directional signs, and property flyers.

Cons:

  • The basic package only allows six photos. You'll usually want to include more photos to give people a better look at your property online.
  • The company doesn't cover all of Minnesota. You can check out its website for specific regions.
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Minnesota Flat Fee MLS

Minnesota Flat Fee MLS

Minnesota Flat Fee MLS

Best For

Sellers on a tight budget

Price Range

$99-149

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • The $149 listing option lets you post as many photos as the MLS allows.
  • This service participates in four MLSs that cover nearly all of the state.

Cons:

  • You don't have many options for add ons or additional services
  • Both packages only include a six-month listing. There's no options for longer listing periods.
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Real Estate Corners, Inc

Real Estate Corners, Inc

Real Estate Corners, Inc

Best For

Experienced sellers looking for a simple MLS listing

Price Range

$299

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • The base package lets you add up to 24 photos to your listing.
  • Your listing will also be posted on RealEstateCorners.com.
  • You can add on a lot of extras like listing brochures, a competitive market analysis, and new sale and listing monitoring in your neighborhood.

Cons:

  • You only have one package to choose from. It's not a great option for people who want a basic listing on a shoestring budget.
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Savvy Avenue, LLC

Savvy Avenue, LLC

Savvy Avenue, LLC

Best For

Sellers who expect their home to sell quickly

Price Range

$295-495

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • If you choose the Extended package ($395), you can add a virtual tour to your listing.
  • You can manage your listing entirely online.

Cons:

  • The basic package doesn't include state disclosure forms.
  • The basic package is only a three-month listing term. While this may work well for sellers who expect their property to sell quickly, you might want to go with either the six-month or 12-month listings.
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Congress Realty

Congress Realty

Congress Realty

Best For

Sellers who want a lot of a-la-carte options

Price Range

$299

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Congress Realty has a phone system that forwards any phone calls about your listing directly to you.
  • You can request a free Comparative Marketing Analysis if you want a better idea of what homes in your area have sold for recently.

Cons:

  • Congress Realty costs a lot more than competitors with similar MLS packages.
  • You have to pay an extra $50 if you want more than four photos in your listing.
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Beycome

Beycome

beycome

Best For

Tech-savvy sellers who want to manage their listings on an online platform

Price Range

$99-299

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • You can upload photos, manage your listings, and receive and negotiate offers all within the online platform. Great for people who don't like to talk on the phone!
  • If you need help pricing your home, you can check the two home value estimates that come with each package.
  • Sellers who opt for the $199 Premium version can use the platform to automatically list their homes on popular classified sites like Craigslist, Oodle, and Listanza.

Cons:

  • You'll get no assistance with paperwork, even as an add-on service.
  • Beycome's site doesn't make it clear that you may still have to pay a buyer's agent commission.
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Minnesota flat fee MLS listing services by city

In Minnesota, you'll also find some smaller flat fee MLS listing services that specialize in particular cities. These uber-local companies are more likely to offer flexible service packages and to bring more area expertise than the big guys.

Every Minnesota flat fee MLS service is different. Always make sure to read the fine print when evaluating offerings to make sure you're getting a fair deal selling your Minnesota home, land, or commercial property.

Flat fee MLS listing services in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, the state's largest city, offers the largest selection of flat fee MLS companies as well. You'll find a lot of variety in both price and packages. We saw basic listings for about $100 and more comprehensive options for more than $800.

» EXPLORE: The Best Minneapolis Flat Fee MLS Companies

Hidden costs of flat fee MLS companies

Some companies claim to offer flat-rate MLS services but charge hidden fees at closing. We've even seen some companies that claim to offer a free MLS listing only to charge you a percentage of the sale price at closing.

These predatory practices could cost you thousands of dollars when you expect to pay only a few hundred.

Always make sure to read the fine print for any service to uncover potential hidden fees. Look out for "closing fees" or "admin fees" that you'll owe the broker in addition to an upfront flat fee.

Further, some flat fee MLS companies offer à la carte services like photography, paperwork help, and signage. These services can reduce some of your DIY work, but watch out. These add-ons can add up!

At a certain point, you may be better off finding a full-service agent who charges a clear and upfront discounted rate.

💰 Incredible savings, none of the DIY

Selling your home is difficult, even with a flat-fee MLS company to handle your listing. Add in hidden fees, a la carte services, and premium service tiers, and you'll save a lot less than you planned, but still be stuck with most of the work.

There's a better option. Clever pre-negotiates lower listing fees with top agents in your area. You still save on commission, while getting the support of a full-service agent.

  • Clever partner agents offer full-service support for a fraction of the traditional cost: a 1.5% listing fee instead of the typical 2.5-3%
  • Choose from the best local agents representing top regional and national brokerages, like Keller Williams and Century 21

Ready to find real estate agents who can help you save thousands on your sale? Enter your zip code below to get started!

What are the alternatives to using a flat fee MLS service in Minnesota?

Discount and flat fee real estate agents

A discount real estate broker will list your property for as little as 1% — but keep in mind that you usually still have to pay a 2.6–3% buyer’s agent fee.

We’ve reviewed four national and regional discount real estate brokers that operate in Minnesota.

Discount broker
Review

Clever

Assist-2-Sell

Help-U-Sell

Redfin

In Minnesota, Clever offers low rates, with an added advantage: Clever lets you compare multiple agents from major brands like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX.

Clever matches home sellers like you with pre-vetted, full-service agents for only a 1.5% listing fee. That's half the rate agents typically charge, letting you keep thousands more in your pocket when your home sells.

Your Clever agent will handle everything for you, ]helping you accurately price your home, get high-quality photography, negotiate with prospective buyers, and complete paperwork.

You'll pay only a little more than you'd pay a flat fee MLS service, but you'll save hours of effort by not having to do everything yourself!

[[inline slug="lower-rate-local-agent-price-test"]

Selling without an MLS listing

It's always possible to try selling your house by owner without listing on the MLS. But this makes sense only if you already have a potential buyer lined up.

That's because not listing on your local MLS means not getting the most effective exposure for your property. MLS listings are posted to every major real estate website. Plus, real estate agents access MLS listings to find properties for their clients.

If you don't secure an MLS listing, you'll be limited to sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace and relying on a yard sign.

iBuyers

iBuyers are companies that buy homes for cash outright at what they claim are market prices. When you sell to an iBuyer, you could have a preliminary offer in as little as 24 hours.

The major downside of selling to an iBuyer is that these companies make money by charging steep service fees — typically 5–14% of the purchase price. So they're a good alternative only for sellers more concerned with convenience and speed than costs.

There are currently two iBuyers operating in certain Minnesota markets. Click below to learn more.

[[table colalignment="left,center,center"]

iBuyer
Minnesota market
Fees
Review

Opendoor

Minneapolis–St. Paul

5%

Read more

Zillow Offers

Minneapolis–St. Paul

7–7.5%

Read more

[[/table]

[[linked-header type="h2" text="Frequently asked questions" id="faq"]

How much do flat fee MLS services cost in Minnesota?

Typically, you should expect to pay about $300 for a Minnesota flat fee MLS listing. However, we've seen basic plans for as low as $100 and more comprehensive services that charge as much as $600.

Do I still need to pay the buyer's agent commission?

Although you'll save some money by not having to pay commission to a listing agent (typically 2.14% to 3.32% of the sale price), we strongly recommend offering a commission to the buyer's agent. This will incentivize agents to bring their clients to your home.

How much to offer a buyer's agent is up to you, but most buyer's agent commissions in Minnesota range from 2.09% to 3.27%.

» READ: Average Real Estate Commission in Minnesota

How do I sell by owner in Minnesota?

Minnesota real estate laws require sellers to disclose any known defects that could affect a buyer's decision to purchase the property, including:

  • Building and safety information
  • Utilities
  • Environmental information (like erosion, noise pollution, and whether it's in a flood plain)
  • Sewer and wastewater treatment

Minnesota uses the Seller's Residential Property Disclosure form. You can either get this form from your listing broker or download it from the Minnesota Bar Association.

» READ: How to Sell a House for Sale by Owner in Minnesota

How do I get MLS access in Minnesota?

The multiple listing service (MLS) is the primary directory of homes for sale and is used by Minnesota real estate agents and sites like Realtor.com. Various types of properties – including single-family homes, townhouses, land, commercial properties, and more – are searchable in the MLS. Only an agent or company operating in the Minnesota real estate industry with a real estate license can add and access listings on the Minnesota MLS listing service.

If you're looking to list your home for sale by owner (FSBO), you can still list your home on the MLS through a flat fee MLS listing service. A flat fee MLS service can mean huge savings for experienced sellers when you choose the best Minnesota MLS listing service.

How long will my Minnesota MLS listing be active?

In most cases, your MLS listing will remain active in Minnesota until your home or land has been sold. Your listing may expire, which depends on the listing contract between the listing agent and the seller. In the listing agreement, a period of time will be stipulated to indicate when the listing expires in the event it does not sell before the agreed upon date.

The listing will not automatically renew but after the end date, the seller has the option of continuing with their current real estate agent or signing on with a new real estate agency or choosing a flat fee listing service.

Better real estate agents at a better rate

Enter your zip code to see if Clever has a partner agent in your area.

If you don't love your Clever partner agent, you can request to meet with another, or shake hands and go a different direction. We offer this because we're confident you're going to love working with a Clever Partner Agent.